


When he has done and finished his work (and he shall be a true lover of mine)

by LightningNymph



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: FE3H Kinkmeme, Fluff, M/M, Oblivious Pining, Pining, Rarepair, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25331203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightningNymph/pseuds/LightningNymph
Summary: Written for theFE3H Kink Meme."I think Ferdinand would look at Deude and think "he's a noble man", and I like that. I think Deude would look at Ferdie and find him similar to what he admires in Dimitri. Anyway, I really like these two together"
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Dedue Molinaro
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26





	When he has done and finished his work (and he shall be a true lover of mine)

**Author's Note:**

> In which poor Ferdinand means well, but Noblesse Oblige is hardly going to impress someone not familiar with the concept.  
> Smooches didn't quite work out but I hope OP will settle for pining that Ferdinand isn't entirely aware he's doing and Dedue being more perceptive than people give him credit for.

“ _Regal_. That’s the word I was looking for.”

“Is it?” Dedue asked, not looking up from snipping some dead blooms off the rosebushes.

“Yes, it is. You are quite regal, Dedue,” Ferdinand said, stepping aside for him to be able to reach the composting bin. “You must have been a man of high status in Duscur, with your bearing. An Earl at least, or perhaps a Marquis.”

Something shifted in Dedue’s posture -- subtle but briefly noticeable before he managed to hide it away, and something about it made Ferdinand feel the urge to crawl into bed and hope that this was just a bad dream.

“I was a blacksmith’s son.”

“...ah. I see,” Ferdinand said, feeling his face turn red.

It made sense, now that Dedue mentioned it. You didn’t get that sort of physique just from swinging a sword around. Ferdinand felt rather stupid for not realizing it before.

Seemingly convinced that the conversation was done, Dedue continued tending to the flowers, the silence interspersed with the occasional ‘snip’ of the gardening shears.

Ferdinand was the first to break the silence again. “My apologies. I fear I may have offended you.”

“That’s fine,” Dedue said, seemingly automatically, not looking up from the flowers.

“It’s not,” Ferdinand said. “I am truly sorry. If you would permit me the chance to rephrase -- you’re not a nobleman by birth, but the way you carry yourself and act is very noble indeed.”

Dedue seemed to briefly consider this, gaze drifting to the distance instead of the plant. “I suppose His Highness is to thank for that, then.”

“Hardly,” Ferdinand said, shaking his head. “It’s not merely a matter of -- of manners and etiquette. It’s the way you move, the way you interact with others. And I feel that in those aspects, the ones that can’t be taught by courtly instructors and imitated blindly, that you are _truly_ noble. I admire that in you.”

Dedue turned around, giving him a long, appraising look. Ferdinand resisted the urge to squirm, even though he felt like Dedue was staring right through him.

“...thank you,” Dedue said finally. “There aren’t many who would say that.”

“Regardless of that, it is still true,” Ferdinand said.

The corners of Dedue’s mouth twitched upwards slightly. “Perhaps. It is still nice to hear.”

“Is that so?” Ferdinand asked weakly.

“Yes.” Dedue stepped aside, seemingly appeased by the rosebush’s state, and moved towards a collection of potted plants instead.

“Well, I’m happy I said so, then. I should take my leave...” Ferdinand said, inching towards the door.

“Wait.”

Ferdinand froze, hand halfway to the greenhouse’s doors. “Ah -- yes? What is it?”

Moving very carefully, Dedue tucked a deep red carnation-bloom into Ferdinand’s buttonhole.

“Good afternoon, Ferdinand,” he said, turning back to his plants.

“...good afternoon to you too,” Ferdinand said, feeling slightly faint as he left.

**Author's Note:**

>  ~~Fun fact of the day: "Marquess" _sounds_ feminine but is in fact a masculine noble title. The female counterpart would be a "marchioness". This is because English as a language is just a goddamn train wreck shambling along on its tracks.~~ I have been informed that Marquess is just a variant spelling of Marquis. Whoops. Edited to reflect this.  
> A marquess is one step down from a duke, so Ferdinand rated Dedue pretty high up there.  
> In flower language, light red carnations represent admiration, while dark red denote deep love and affection. Roses seemed a bit too Lorenz. ;)


End file.
